Mobile gaming is exploding right now, and just about any company even tangentially related to gaming is trying to get in on the action. A big example of this is Microsoft, who has launched their Game Pass streaming service on Android, and they've brought a few accessory makers along for the ride.
It's one thing to play games with a touchscreen, but if you're looking for a more traditional experience, you'll want a controller. That obviously opens up a big section of the market for someone that might not want to hijack their normal Xbox One controller for mobile, and that's where Moga's XP5-X+ Bluetooth controller comes in.
We're taking one for a spin with the brand new Galaxy S21 to see if it's worth your money.
Familiar design
- Xbox style
- Extremely light
- Extra buttons
Since this one was co-designed with Microsoft, Moga's controller is going to feel incredibly familiar to anyone that's used an Xbox controller before. The good news is most of the industry has adopted Microsoft's buttons and styling, so this works pretty easily with most games and services.
On the face of the controller you'll see two asymmetrical analog sticks, alongside an Xbox button in the center, the AB/XY face buttons, and a D-pad. The menu and view buttons are placed a little bit higher than you'd normally get on an Xbox One controller, however.
Towards the bottom sits a battery indicator button, a remapping button and switch that we'll talk about later, and a cutout to hold the included phone clip in place. On the backside you'll see two extra buttons on the back of the handles that sync up with that remap toggle.
It's immediately apparent that Moga is trying to make this a little more friendly for someone gaming on the go, instead of on their couch. The XP5-X+ is considerably lighter than a regular Xbox One controller, and that's even with having an included 3000mAh battery. The Xbox logo doesn't light up to conserve battery, and it's got two ports up top to take advantage of charging external devices and plugging into your phone. It strikes a good balance of staying true to its inspiration while making enough key changes for its target audience.
Gameplay
- Above average buttons and triggers
- Long battery life
- Plug and play with most games
If you've purchased third-party controllers before, you might be a little concerned with quality, which is fair. I'm sure we all remember old-school Mad Katz controllers that broke after a few weeks.
Fortunately, that's not really the case here. Not only does Moga's option look very similar to an Xbox One controller, the quality isn't far off, either.
No, it isn't exactly the same, but the face buttons work very well without feeling mushy, the analog sticks are accurate without deadzone problems, and the D-pad is surprisingly solid, which is usually a weakness for Xbox controllers. The triggers aren't quite as nice as a standard Xbox controller, so keep that in mind for FPS games, but it's pretty well-rounded otherwise.
I really put the controller through its paces with game streaming and some local stuff, and both worked exceptionally well. Once the controller is paired up, most things should immediately recognize it, especially on newer versions of Android. Using a Galaxy S21 on Android 11, I had to do 0 configuration to play games with it.
Steam Link worked right out of the box, and games detected the controller just like an Xbox controller plugged directly into the computer. I finished up my current play through of Shadow of War, which requires some fairly precise button presses during combat, and the controller was never a liability. Android games similarly shouldn't have any problems, so long as they natively support controllers.
This also holds true for Xbox Game Pass games, and that's clearly what this controller is designed for. The Game Pass app fully supports controller navigation, so you can just tap that Xbox button to open the app from wherever you're at and start gaming. (I will note that this caused problems with Steam streaming, though. The Xbox button opens the Game Pass app and makes it difficult to pull up the Steam overlay) So long as your connection is good for Game Pass streaming, you shouldn't notice any significant latency, either, although it's still hard to recommend game streaming for anything competitive.
Vs. standard Xbox One controllers
- No Xbox connectivity
- Integrated power bank
- Remappable back buttons
Alright, so you can pair this thing up to your phone and play games. You can do that with a regular Xbox One controller, too, so why bother with Moga's option? There are a few key things with the XP5-X+ that make it a solid upgrade over a Microsoft controller.
The first one that's huge for mobile gaming is that it includes a clip. This was probably a necessity to justify the controller's $69 price tag, but is a very nice addition either way. It slots perfectly onto the controller and has that standard two hinge design to keep your phone secured.
Because the XP5-X+ happens to be so light, you'll need to keep your phone closer to the controller than you might on a regular controller. This isn't a huge deal, and the clip supports it, but keep that in mind.
The controller also features two back buttons, similar to an Xbox One Elite Controller, which can be remapped to other buttons on the controller. That's what the extra buttons and toggles on the bottom right of the controller do, actually; if you want to remap buttons, you just need to hold that remap button for two seconds, pick the button you'd like to duplicate (like the Y button) then press one of the back paddles. Now you'll be able to jump without having to take your right finger off the analog stick, without having to drop the cash for an Elite controller.
It's also got an integrated power bank, so not only can you directly connect your phone to the controller to avoid Bluetooth latency, but it can recharge your phone for even longer gaming sessions. This one's probably the most useful feature for most people.
There are some drawbacks compared to a regular controller, though. Most notably is that, well, this won't actually connect to an Xbox. If you're primarily gaming on mobile, this isn't going to be a problem, but some people may prefer some versatility.
It's also still using a microUSB instead of newer USB-C for its charging port like the Xbox Series X controller counterparts. Fortunately the battery life is just insane so you won't need to charge it often, but at $69 it's not too much to expect a more advanced connector.
Worth it?
- Tons of features
- Great design
- Expensive
There's a whole lot to like with Moga's XP5-X+. The design is immediately familiar to Xbox players, and it works with nearly everything right out of the box. Open it up, connect it over Bluetooth, and play away. It's as simple as it gets short of something like the Razer Kishi.
But it is kind of expensive, especially next to a controller directly from Microsoft. You can frequently pick up a standard wireless controller for around $40, but even priced standard Microsoft still undercuts Moga by a few bucks. You do get the included mobile clip, plus the flexibility to be a portable battery bank and some remappable buttons, although those probably only really appeal to enthusiasts.
But that appeal to more hardcore gamers makes this controller very well-rounded and a good choice for anyone in the market for a premium controller. You'll immediately elevate your gaming experience, especially if you're playing a ton of games that support controllers or you're streaming via one of the many streaming services available on Android right now.
If you've already got an Xbox controller for everything else, definitely check this one out just to keep by your phone. If you can catch a sale, don't even hesitate.
Moga XP5-X+ Bluetooth controller | $69 | Amazon, Microsoft, Samsung
